The present invention relates to a new and improved apparatus for cleaning a textile machine, such as by way of example and not limitation a spinning machine, containing a plurality of operating positions, in that exemplary case a plurality of spinning positions.
As to the inventive cleaning apparatus for the cleaning of a plurality of typically similar operating positions of a textile machine, such cleaning apparatus comprises a movable or mobile cleaning device which is movable on rails or the like between the different operating positions and such movable or mobile cleaning device is provided with at least one suction trunk or nozzle.
A heretofore known cleaning apparatus of this general type is shown and described in German Pat. No. 1,510,728. In that case, elements of the individual spinning positions are freed of fiber particles deposited thereon by means of pressure jets of a cleaning device travelling on rails along the spinning machine. These fiber particles then pass in free flight onto the floor upon which the spinning machine is mounted or supported and from that location they are sucked away by a suction trunk also forming part of the cleaning device.
Other cleaning devices, operating in accordance with substantially the same technique or method, are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,754,992 and 3,908,346. An important disadvantage of this prior art blow-suction technique or method resides in the fact that the fiber particles can be caught or entrained only indirectly by the suction nozzle, that is to say, by means of a transfer function This undesirably results in the possibility that the fiber particles blown away by the pressure jets, while on their way or during their flight to the floor or machine supporting structure, can remain entrapped or caught at machine parts or elements located above floor level yet outside the operating range or effective region of the pressure jets. Consequently, at least to some degree there is only effected a displacement of the impurities or contaminants which should be removed from the area of the textile machine.
Furthermore, the known cleaning devices constitute rather limited or non-versatile designs or constructions which are devoid of operational flexibility and adaptability to varying contours of the objects to be cleaned, in this case the parts or elements of the associated textile machine which is to be cleaned.